Drawing easel



June 10, 1952 L. WESTCAMP DRAWING EASEL Filed May 9, 1949 INVENTORLesZz'eLlZ/eslcamp BY ul /QM ATTORNEYS Patented June 10, 1952 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFlCE DRAWING EASEL Leslie L. Westcamp, Fair Oaks, Calif.

Application May 9, 1949, Serial No. 92,218 6 Claims. (01. 45-129) Thisinvention is directed to, and it is an object to provide, a noveldrawing easel; the latter being especially designed-but not limitedforhome or school use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a drawing easel ofsimplified, but durable and reliable construction, the design permittingof ease. and economy of manufacture on a production basis.

A further object of the invention is to provide a drawing easel which isfirm and steady when in use, yet includes a rear supporting leg which isfoldable against the back of the easel for ready transport, or compactstorage thereof.

Additionally, it is an object to provide the easel with a novel rack forthe reception and support of containers for drawing materials, brushes,etc.; the rack being transversely elongated and mounted in positionbelow and slightly ahead of the easel panel.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a drawing easel, asabove, wherein said rack is detachably mounted in connection with theeasel without the use of securing elements such as screws or the like;the form of the rack, and the mount therefor, being novel structuralfeatures of the invention.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a rack and mount, asin the preceding paragraph, which is formed in its entirety from metalrod, being thus strong, stable, and not subject to ready damage.

A further object of the invention is to pro vide a desirable andpractical drawing easel, and one which will be exceedingly effective forthe purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relativearrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the followingspecification and claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the easel, as in use.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse section on line 2-2 of Fig.1.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on thedrawings, the improved drawing easel comprises a pair of upstanding,transversely spaced, front legs I. which legs are connected, atsubstantiallythe upper half portion thereof, by an upstanding, forwardlyfacing panel 2. The panel 2 is of hard-surfaced, rigid sheet material,such as Masonite/f and is rectangular in elevation, as shown.

The upper edge of the panel 2 is flush with the upper ends of the legsI, and at its lower edge said panel 2 is fitted with a horizontal,forwardly projecting supporting ledge 3 adapted to receive drawingparaphernalia, and additionally the ledge 3 may support work sheets etc.in front of the panel 2.

The assembly of the front legs and panel 2 is supported, when in use, atan upward and slightly rearward incline by a centrally disposed rear leg4, which inclines forwardly and upwardly from the floor to hingedconnection, as at 5, with the panel 2 at its upper edge portion.

In order to prevent undue separation of the legs I and 4, a light-weightchain 6 is anchored centrally of its ends, as at l, to the front of theleg 4 some distance below the hinge 5; the opposite reaches of suchchain thence extending forwardly in diverging relation to anchor points8 on the back of the panel 2 adjacent the bottom corners.

With the above arrangement it will be seen that the leg 4 can beconveniently folded against the back of the easel for ease in manuallycarrying the same from point to point, or for compact storage. Yet, whenthe easel is in use with the rear leg 4 swung rearwardly to the limit ofits movement, such easel is steady and cannot be easily tipped.

Below, and in front of, the panel 2, the drawing easel includes ahorizontal, transversely elongated, container-holding rack, indicatedgenerally at 9; such rack being adapted to receive and supportcontainers Ill for paint, brushes, etc.

The rack 9 andits-mount are of the following novel construction:

The rack 9 includes a pair of horizontal, transversely elongated topbarsH which are spaced from front to rear a distance to permit of thepassage of the containers therebetween. Below the top bars II the rack 9includes another pair of horizontal, transversely elongated bottom bars[2 spaced apart from front to rear a much shorter distance whereby toform a base or seat for the containers I!) which are passed downwardlybetween the bars II; the bottom bars l2 being disposed symmetricallywith respect to the top bars II.

The pair of top bars II are closed at opposite ends, as at I3, while thepair of bottom bars l2 are closed at the ends, as at [4, so as toprevent lateral escape of the containers I 0, and additionally toprovide for the attachment of the top bars II and bottom bars [2 todependent end rods IS in rigid relation.

At their upper ends the dependent end rods l5 include rearwardprojections l6, which extend beneath the supporting ledge 3, the loweredge of the panel 2, and a cross cleat l'l secured on the back side ofthe panel 2 at the bottom thereof.

At their rear ends the projections l6 merge with corresponding invertedU-shaped hangers [8. Each such hanger i8 is vertically elongated, andincludes a front leg l9 and a rear leg 20, with said legs connectedtogether at their upper ends, as at 2|. The lower end of the front legl9 of each hanger I8 terminates some distance above the lower end of therear leg 20, and the lower ends of said front legs l9 are connectedtogether by a cross rod 22.

This cross rod 22 removably seats in a longitudinal notch 23 formed inthe upper forward corner of the cross cleat [1 whereby the front legs [9of the hangers l8 lie flush against the back of the panel 2; the line ofabutment being indicated at 24. With the front legs l9 in this position,the-rear legs depend in flush engagement with the rear surface of thecross cleat H; the line of abutment being indicated at 25.

The rear legs 20 of the hangers it are of such dependent length thatthey extend below the bottom of the cross cleat H, whereby theprojections It are unobstructed.

With the above described mount the rack 9 is effectively supported inits position of use, yet

can be readily detached from the easel by upward sliding movement of thehangers I8, which withdraws the cross rod 22 from the notch 23.Thereafter, the hangers may be shifted rearwardly to complete thedetachment of the mount and the rack from the easel.

The drawing easel, together with the rack 9 and its mount, is a verypractical and convenient device for home or school use by children, although-as previously indicatedthe arrangement is adaptable to many othertypes of easel use.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there hasbeen produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of theinvention, as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferredconstruction of the device, still in practice such deviations from suchdetail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit ofthe invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new anduseful, and upon which Letters Patent are desired:

1. In combination with a drawing easel which includes an upstanding,forwardly facing panel some distance above the floor; a transverselyelongated rack disposed horizontally adjacent the lower edge of saidpanel, and means mounting the rack in connection with the panel; saidmeans including end elements on the rack extending rearwardly beneaththe panel, upstanding hangers on the rear ends of the elements, saidhangers having a cross rod extending therebetween, and a cross cleat onthe back of the panel, the cross rod being normally supported by saidcross cleat but disengageable therefrom upon relatively slight upwardmovements of the hangers.

2. In combination with a drawing easel which includes an upstanding,forwardly facing panel some distance above the floor; a transverselyelongated rack disposed horizontally adjacent the lower edge of saidpanel, transversely spaced projections on the rack extending rearwardlybeneath the panel, inverted U-shaped laterally opening hangersupstanding from the rear ends of the projections, the rear leg of eachhanger connecting to the corresponding projection, the front leg of eachhanger terminating at its lower end some distance above the lower end ofthe rear leg, and a cross cleat on the back of the panel, the top of thecross cleat being recessed to normally but removably receive the lowerends of the front legs.

3. In combination with a drawing easel which includes an upstanding,forwardly facing panel some distance above the floor; a transverselyelongated rack disposed horizontally adjacent the lower edge of saidpanel, transversely spaced projections on the rack extending rearwardlybeneath the panel, inverted U-shaped laterally opening hangersupstanding from the rear ends of the projections, the rear leg of eachhanger connecting to the corresponding projection, the front leg of eachhanger terminating at its lower end some distance above the lower end ofthe rear leg, and a cross cleat on the back of the panel, the top of thecross cleat being recessed to normally but removably receive the lowerends of the front legs; the rear legs normally abutting the back of thecross cleat, and the front legs normally abutting the back of the panel.

4. In combination with a drawing easel which includes an upstanding,forwardly facing panel some distance above the floor; a transverselyelongated rack disposed horizontally adjacent the lower edge of saidpanel, transversely spaced projections on the rack extending rearwardlybeneath the panel, inverted U-shaped laterally opening hangersupstanding from the rear ends of the projections, the rear leg of eachhanger connecting to the corresponding projection, thefront leg of eachhanger terminating at its lower end some distance above the lower endof" the rear leg, a cross cleat on the panel at the back, said crosscleat having an upwardly opening longitudinal notch therein, and a crossrod connecting the lower ends of the front legs and normally butremovably seating in said notch.

5. In combination with a drawing easel which includes an upstanding,forwardly facing panel some distance above the floor; a transverselyelongated rack disposed horizontally adjacent the lower edge of saidpanel, transversely spaced projections on the rack extending rearwardlybeneath the panel, inverted U-shaped' laterally opening hangersupstanding from the rear ends'of the projections, the rear leg of eachhanger connecting to the corresponding projection, the front leg of eachhanger terminating at its lower end some distance above the lower end ofthe rear leg, a cross cleat on the panel at the back, said cross cleathaving an upwardly opening longitudinal notch therein, and a cross rodconnecting the lower ends of the front legs and normally but removablyseating in said notch; the rear legs normally abutting the back of thecross cleat, and the front legs normally abutting the back of the panel.

6. In a drawing easel having a front panel and a bottom cleat along theback thereof; a rack in front of the panel adjacent and along the bottom thereof, and means, mounting the rack in connection with the paneland including spaced hangers projecting rearwardly from the rack beneaththe panel and overhanging and removably suspending the rack from thecross cleat; the hangers having vertical areas of engagement with thepanel and cross cleat disposed to prevent horizontal movement of therack both toward and from the panel.

LESLIE L. WES-TCAMP.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Meier et a1 Nov. 21, 1905 Number6 Name Date Mathias Aug. 7, 1928 Bickford June 28, 1932 Gentz Mar. 23,1937 Goulooze Oct. 12, 1937 Jarrett Jan. 3, 1939 Hart June 20, 1939Gaufi Aug. 15, 1950

